Veteran enhances the legend | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Rotorua runner Colin Smyth is a legend when it comes to marathons - so it was only a matter of time before he tackled the Arthur Lydiard Legend Marathon.

The 72-year-old has run more than 100 marathons, including every Rotorua Marathon since they began in 1965.

He even ran it in 1999 when it was cancelled after flooding. The cancellation didn't stop him - he just ran it a week later.

A knee injury in 2005 while running the 40th Rotorua Marathon ended his running career and now Colin walks every marathon.

Colin racked up another marathon at the weekend, completing the Legend Marathon through Auckland's Waitakere Ranges.

His wife Pat, who ran in the Arthur's Half Marathon, said respected running coach Arthur Lydiard was one of Colin's idols.

"Colin did the half marathon last year - but Arthur Lydiard is Colin's god and all his training is based on the Arthur Lydiard programme and always has been.

"For the full marathon you get a medal and he wanted to get a medal.

"He did really good, he did a 6h 23m and that was really good for the course because it's a really steep course. He does that sort of time in Rotorua but Rotorua is flat compared to that."

The first man home in a time of 2h 37m 55s was Scott Winton followed by Jonathan Jackson, 2h 43m 07s, and Jeremy Moody, 2h 53m 41s. The first woman was Melissa Norris, 3h 04m 56s, with Mikki Williden, 3h 08m 15s, second and Debbie Fillery third in a time of 3h 19m 27s.

Although, Colin produced a good time, Pat said the course had a steep hill which really tested the veteran competitor.

"My daughter was looking after him, she said he was so grey and she was so white, she felt like just putting him in the car. But once he got to the top of the hill [he was fine]," Pat said. "He felt as though he was going to heaven it was so steep."

Pat said her husband enjoyed the event and came out of it better than some of his marathons in Rotorua.

Colin told The Daily Post the reason he did so many marathons was to keep himself healthy.

"A lot of fellas tell me I'm stupid but I'm alive and a lot of them are dead so there must be something there."

Pat said there were no plans at this stage to come back and do another Legend Marathon.

"It might change next year, but he just wanted the medal and I think he'd be quite happy just to do Rotorua Marathon."

Pat, 61, was now in training to do the Iron Maori, a half ironman triathlon in Napier. This is a 2km swim, 90km bike and half-marathon run in December.

She said she was happy with her half marathon time of 3h 07m.

"It was fabulous. I loved it. I'm training for the Iron Maori - I've got in as an individual ... I've been doing lots of training and I felt really, really good," she said.